AGARTALA, Oct 14 (TIWN): Heavy and incessant downpour across Agartala since past one week has left businessmen, idol makers and puja pandal organizers worried with hardly a week remaining for Durga Puja to begin.

India Meteorological Department sources have hinted for moderate rainfall during the puja days.

Heavy rainfall across Agartala city and suburban areas has hit the normal life on Tuesday morning. The heavy downpour in the capital city’s life is disrupted as the road and transport services are deranged due to heavy rain.

Incessant rain, since morning, has thrown life out of gear in parts of Agartala, disrupting road traffic and causing damages to paddy crop in some suburb areas also.

In Agartala, shopkeepers are worried about how much business would perk up ahead of the Puja if such weather conditions continued to prevail in the state.

A week ahead of Durga Puja is the peak time for the sale of the clothes.. If such weather conditions prevail, it would deter people from coming out of their homes to shop,” said a store owner in the city.

 “The consistent drizzle has marred Durga Puja shopping,” said a cloth merchant in the town.

Meanwhile, owing to consistent downpour, people were forced to stay indoors and for those who had exhaustive plans for Durga Puja shopping, the rain played a spoilsport.

Most parts of the city reeling under flood water. Idol makers and pandal decorators are worried about the pandal decoration.

Idol makers who have started using electric and kerosene blowers to dry the idols are also worried. The weather has become damp and there is no sunshine which is very essential in drying the idols.

The rain has also put the Durga Puja organizers in trouble.

The workers engaged in the job are somehow doing the interiors but we have to keep the exteriors covered with tarpaulin. There is no option but to wait for the weather to improve.